Penguin on an Inspiron: a review of the Dell Inspiron 1420n with Ubuntu

Dell has affirmed its committment to consumer choice by offering laptops with …

Dell and Ubuntu, sitting in a tree

Dell launched the IdeaStorm web site last year as part of an effort to open up a dialog with consumers. The IdeaStorm respondents overwhelmingly called for Dell to embrace freedom of choice by ending the era of vendor lock-in and offering computers preloaded with the increasingly popular Ubuntu Linux distribution.

Ubuntu provides a comprehensive open source software platform built on top of the robust Linux kernel and the versatile GNOME desktop environment. Although the Linux operating system has traditionally been the realm of skillful technophiles and adept programmers, Ubuntu veers away from that stereotype and breaks into the mainstream by delivering a revolutionary combination of flexibility and ease of use.

The Ubuntu platform is a complete replacement for the Windows operating system. Unlike Windows, Ubuntu is available completely free of charge and comes bundled with a broad variety of useful software, including a fully-functional office suite. Ubuntu is open source, which means that its components are distributed under permissive licenses that grant users the freedom to study, modify, and redistribute the programs.

Open source software provides an alternative to commercial proprietary software, which—much like music that is encumbered with DRM—can only be used in the manner dictated by the creator. Ubuntu liberates users from arbitrary restrictions and doesn't contain invasive antipiracy spyware mechanisms like Windows Genuine Advantage.

Favored by a growing multitude of software developers and Linux enthusiasts, Ubuntu was the obvious choice for Dell's first forceful foray into freedom. Dell currently offers Ubuntu on a handful of different systems. I tested the Dell Inspiron Notebook 1420 N preloaded with Ubuntu 7.04.

Tech specs

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 1.5 GHz, 2MB of L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB

Display: 14.1" widescreen 1280x800

Video: Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerated 3100

Hard drive: 80GB (5400 rpm)

OS: Ubuntu Linux 7.04

RAM: 1 GB

Optical drive: 24x CD-RW/DVD combo

Networking: Intel Pro Wireless 3945, integrated 10/100 Ethernet

First impressions

The 1420n is a sturdy and attractive laptop. Although the lid doesn't have a latch, it stays closed when shaken and the hinges are very sturdy. The top of the lid has a smooth, matte black finish and a circular Dell emblem in the center. The keyboard is pretty much what you would expect from a laptop. The key arrangement is relatively good, and includes home, page up, page down, and end keys running along the far right side. The 14.1 inch widescreen monitor provides a beautiful crisp image, but the quality of the 1420n's built-in speakers fails to impress.

Bright blue LEDs for power, WiFi, bluetooth, and the hard drive are present on the front edge of the system where they are also visible when the lid is closed. The left side of the laptop has a socket for the AC adapter, a firewire port, and two USB ports. The front of the laptop has an SD card slot, a WiFi toggle switch, and jacks for headphones or speakers and a microphone. The right side has the optical disk drive tray, an S-Video out port, two USB ports, and a VGA port. The back has an Ethernet port and a modem.

The 1420n has several buttons along the top above the keyboard. By default, the home button launches the Rhythmbox music player and the power button launches the logout dialog window. There are also volume control buttons and multimedia buttons for pausing and playing, skipping tracks, and stopping playback. The volume control buttons work perfectly right out of the box and display a visual notification when activated. The multimedia control buttons work in both Rhythmbox and the Totem movie player. The operations associated with these buttons are fully configurable in the keyboard shortcuts dialog.